Caught in the Act
by Saskia Walker
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Publication date: Sep 01, 2008
On sale date: Sep 01, 2008
eISBN: 9781426822438
There was something about the new IT guy that rubbed Chrissie the wrong way, but she couldn’t take her eyes off him. She told herself Liam O’Neil had to be the source of the company’s security leak, and that she was observing him to get the goods on him. But gazing at his hard, sexy body all day was getting her seriously hot and bothered.
Then an after hours confrontation gave way to breathtaking seduction. But when Chrissie discovered Liam was not what he seemed, her searing desire turned to humiliation, then fury. Liam had been obsessessed with the fiery little blonde from the first, and was eager for more of what they’d shared. But getting her to listen to his explanation and give him another chance was going to require seduction on a whole other level.
Excerpt:
After the last stragglers had gone and all was quiet, Chrissie stood up, picked up her phone and flicked it to camera mode. If she could just catch him... Her heart raced. If she could prove Liam was the thief, then…then he'd be gone. She paused, hesitant. She both wanted to find him out, and didn’t. It was screwy, she knew it was, but something about the idea of confronting him was intoxicating, and she couldn’t help herself. As she approached the door to her supervisor’s office, she saw him moving behind the desk. Someone who wasn’t in the know would just think he was switching off a PC, or checking it. But she was riddled with suspicion and curiosity. She stood just outside the open door and snapped a photograph of him, then put her phone down on the table outside Theresa’s office, making sure it was hidden out of sight.
Folding her arms across her chest, she stared at him. “Caught in the act,” she said. She couldn’t help being pleased with herself.
Liam glanced up, and then smiled, long and slow. He didn’t seem surprised to see her, his posture both nonchalant and self-assured while he looked at her.
Even if he made a break for it, she had proof he was the thief. Strangely enough, he didn’t look as if he was going anywhere. In fact he glanced at his watch, as if he was checking how much free time he had to chat with her. He had the cheek of the devil himself.
“Caught?” A self-assured smile played around his attractive mouth and it made her want to slap him. “I wasn’t doing anything. Not yet, at any rate.”
Why did he always look as if he was thinking about sex? And, more to the point why am I thinking about sex? “You aren’t supposed to be in here, none of us are. Company rules. No overtime unless it’s agreed in advance.”
“And that’s why you followed me?” His expression was filled with insinuation, and he looked her up and down in a way that left her in no doubt he was making some sort of intimate reference. “You’re sure there wasn’t some other reason why you wanted to be in here with me, alone?”
Her stomach flipped. He’s bluffing.
She forced a dry laugh “Get real. You are the thief, that’s why we’re both here. I’ve been on to you for days.” He didn’t seem surprised, in fact he seemed to be enjoying it. He was sitting back in Theresa’s chair with a lazy self-assured posture that suggested he wasn’t in the least concerned she’d caught him in there. Maybe he wanted her to follow him. The thought made her want to walk away, but for some reason she couldn’t.
“I knew you were on to me, Chrissie. In fact, I was enjoying your attention.”
“The security man will be here in a minute to lock up,” she snapped. Her heartbeat grew erratic. Was this some sort of trap? Just as the thought struck her, the overhead strip lighting throughout the offices went off one by one in a succession of resounding clicks. They were alone. A dim security light was all that lit the room they occupied, the distant streetlights from the business park sending an eerie glow through the slats of the blinds.
He stood up and stepped out from behind the desk. “Am I indeed? Well now, in that case why would I find you a whole lot more interesting than swiping the lot and heading out of here?” He gestured at the PC.
“The PC should be password locked.” Panic was rising. What was she doing here alone with this man?
“Theresa has been naughty, she’s left her files accessible. This place is slack.” He stepped closer. “I’d much rather look at you than a bunch of code. I like the idea of us having some quiet time, just the two of us, alone here.” He lifted his eyebrows. In the half-light, his eyes glittered.
Beyond him, she could see the cars moving on the motorway in the distance. The business park was quiet. Apart from the security guard, who was now late, there wasn’t another soul around. She hadn’t thought beyond the accusation, she hadn’t thought beyond getting him alone. But now they were here, and he was coming onto her.
Despite her suspicions, her body responded wildly to the knowledge that he wanted her, her skin racing, a fluttering sensation in her core making sensible responses seem much harder to muster. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere, you’re just trying to distract me.”
“How can you be sure?” The insinuating look in his eyes made him look even more attractive. How was that possible?
He’s aroused, she realized. Not for the first time she found herself involuntarily wondering what he looked like naked. Oh god.
“I can think of much better things to do than stealing computer software code, believe me. Besides, for all I know, you could be the thief, you could be the one who is siphoning off the code at night.”
She forced a laugh. “I've been with this company for five years, I take pride in my loyalty.”
He shrugged. “You might be dissatisfied with your pay, for all I know.” He moved closer still, stepping behind her, circling her. It unnerved her, but she felt rooted to the spot.
“You might have a secret vice, something that needs funding.” He touched her lightly on the shoulder and her head jerked back. His eyes were narrowed in the gloom; he was focused on her reaction. The scent of his cologne was enticing, something woodland but sharp and earthy all at the same time. Underneath it man, sheer, absolute man.
“If that was the case,” she mustered, “why would I be here, now, while you are in here?”
“I don’t know, Chrissie, why are you here, now?” He smiled to himself. It was all one big joke to him. That would be his undoing, she was sure of it. What she wasn’t sure of was why she’d let him get so close, why hadn’t she backed off?
She swallowed. I do want him.
The expression in his eyes grew serious. She could hear her heart pounding, the blood rushing in her ears as if the world were moving faster by the moment, while she was frozen to the spot. Then the reasons why they were here faded away as he closed on her, and put one hand behind her head, his fingers moving into her hair as he tipped her head back. “I know the perfect way to prove to you I’m not in here after the code.”
Part of her guessed what he was about to do, the part of her that identified with it, wanted it. She met his stare directly, stripped of all façade.
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
“I know.” She couldn’t have stopped him even if she wanted to, and she didn't want to. When his lips whispered over hers and his breath mingled with hers, she moaned softly, the last shred of resistance she’d held onto slipping away as he invited her to enjoy. Something pent-up broke free inside her, and she clutched at him with needy hands, the ability to think logically, gone....
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